Dairy producer creates new jobs

St. Mary’s, Ont. – New jobs are coming to this small town in Southwestern Ontario thanks to an investment in a local dairy producer.

Shepherd Gourmet Dairy, with the help of the province, is investing $1.3 million in its operation.

The investment will create more than 40 new jobs, triple the size of the company’s production facility and enable the company to install new equipment to enhance products and packaging. It will also mean sourcing sheep milk from 75 Ontario farms.

Shepherd Gourmet is North America’s largest producer of sheep’s milk cheeses and yogurt. It was founded in 2003 in Tavistock, Ont., but a fire in 2008 forced the company to relocate.

The dairy’s main products are yogurts, and sheep, goat, and cow feta cheese, and ricotta.